Do your plans for the New Year include a business move?

If you answered yes, or if that idea has crossed your mind, here are a few things you’ll want to consider that will assist with a smooth transition of your communications network.

Trust me!  We moved our office last year after spending nearly 10 years at the old place.  A little planning in advance allowed us to pull off a seamless move, and more importantly, allowed for our customers to stay connected with us throughout the process.

• PLAN AHEAD: Identify what telecom services are available at the prospective new site.  Don’t just assume that your existing Cable Internet, Fiber Internet or even phone numbers will be able to move with you.  Is the new building lit with Fiber or is cable/DSL available in the area yet?  Can you keep your existing phone number(s) or will you have to change them?

When we were doing our research, one of the areas we contemplated was in an industrial park where the only services available for Internet would have cost us 5 times what we were currently paying.  Those additional expenses can add up if you don’t plan prior.  In some cases, you may be moving to an area that has better options available for your growing needs than what you currently.  Most importantly, some carriers can take 60-90 days to install their services at the new location…the earlier you get started the better!

• REVIEW YOUR CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS: Moving can already be a disruptive time for any business.  Now is a perfect time to review what you currently have with your service providers as well as with your equipment and network.  Technology has changed so much that there may be another carrier or delivery option that is better suited for your needs.  It may be advantageous to look at moving services to the Cloud for some of your voice or data applications.  It is important that if you do review any of your existing service contracts be sure to review their Master Service Agreements addressing move/change notices and early termination fees should you be considering changes.  Our office uses Office 365 and VOIP, which are both Cloud based services, so we were still able to communicate with our clients even when we pulled the cord and moved the electronics across town to the new office.
• SITE READINESS: If you are moving into an existing office space, it is a good idea to do a walk through and make sure that there is enough cabling, the right type of cabling, cabling where you need it, enough power and perhaps adequate cooling to handle your equipment and network.  If you are moving to newly constructed or remodeled office space, make sure you are addressing these needs well in advance with your contractor(s) before the floors are poured and sheetrock is up.  Also, this is a good time to identify who is responsible for doing what in terms of the move.
• MOVE DAY: The day has finally come for you to move.  Before you unplug at your existing place, think about how you will notify your customers and vendors that it is move day?  Will you forward calls to a cell phone temporarily?  Will you have someone stay at the existing location answering calls until the new office is ready if you are switching out equipment?  Did you put a “were moving…” on your email signature or out of office message?  Depending on how you planned things out, you may already have your Internet live at the new site or your phone service or circuits already tested and all you have to do is unpack your boxes and plug in.  Even so, it is a great idea to test everything.  Are you able to scan to your computer?  Do incoming and outgoing faxes work?  Are your security companies able to monitor your building?  Did all your files transfer over correctly?  Is your E911 tested and correct?  Have you notified everyone of your new address?
• BEST TEAM ON YOUR SIDE: Did you know at InteleCONNECT, we offer our consultation to not only review your telecom services, but we will help you implement and assist with the logistics of your move at NO CHARGE to you?  We have helped many clients in setting up their telecommunication services or moving their services over the years.  We know the right questions to ask and will work with your team (Construction Managers, Cablers, IT, Copier people, etc.) to get it done right and on-time.

So, in 2018 if the thought crosses your mind that you should “move”, whether that be to a new location or just to a new way of communicating with your clients, we’d love it if you thought about your first call being to InteleCONNECT to be a part of your moving team!